Wireless communication systems are constantly evolving. System designers are continually developing greater numbers of features for both service providers as well as for the end users. In the area of wireless phone systems, cellular based phone systems have advanced tremendously in recent years. Wireless phone systems are available based on a variety of modulation techniques and are capable of using a number of allocated frequency bands. Available modulation schemes include analog FM and digital modulation schemes using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Each scheme has inherent advantages and disadvantages relating to system architecture, frequency reuse, and communications quality. However, the features the manufacturer offers to the service provider and which the service provider offers to the consumer are similar between the different wireless systems.
Mobile terminals, also referred to as cell phones, handsets, etc. are very much in demand and because of their small size they are easily lost or stolen. The existing protection when a mobile terminal is lost/stolen can only prevent the mobile terminal from originating or terminating calls, but cannot prevent the data stored in the mobile terminal being removed or being used by other people. Furthermore, this originating/terminating call protection requires manually setting and entering passwords, and mobile subscribers normally do not endure the inconvenience necessary to protect their mobile terminals at this minimal level.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a system which provides improved mobile terminal data protection/privacy in situations where a mobile terminal is lost or stolen.